Light

Noor

On awakening,Hafsa saw nobody in the room and she shifted herself into a sitting position,that is when Jehangir came back in and smiling,he said,"Hafsa,how do you like the name Noor for our child?"She smiled and nodded at him and then bowed her head to her daughter's ear,silently saying the name.

Just under 2 hours later Jehangir,Hafsa and Noor set off for home where both their families awaited the arrival of a new baby in the family.They had all been told of Jehangir's decision to keep the child and they were all quite delighted at this,with the exception of his father.

Jehangir walked in,proudly carrying his first-born,a smile on his face that did not waver in the slightest bit.He took her to his father and sat down beside him saying,"Baba,will you not even look at your granddaughter?"Only to be met with silence.He turned away,disheartened but then Hafsa appeared in front of him and led him back to her father-in-law,she stood in front of him with Jehangir at her side and knelt down.

Reaching for his arms she widened them and looked to wards Jehangir,signalling him to place Noor into her paternal grandfather's arms.

Once there,Noor opened her eyes and lay looking at him,but after 3 minutes of him not looking back,she started crying and as on reflex,he started rocking her.

That was when he first looked down at her and became captivated by her beautiful little face,he smiled and kissed her while both her parents looked at each other and smiled gleefully.

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As time passed,Noor grew bigger and prettier and was the joy of the entire family.Nobody had seen a happier child in their lives and they were all quite happy to dote on her.

Hafsa would spend hours sewing clothes and toys for her.Only on the Muslim occasion of Eid did all the women of the house get their clothes stitched from a tailor and it was a very joyous and exciting facade...getting the cloth,choosing laces and bows,thinking up beautiful and unique ways of getting the clothes stitched...it indeed did pleasure Hafsa and Noor,only 4 years old,didnot miss the delight on her mothers face,she would dance around her mother and plead to be taken round to the market for a little shopping of her own.

Now one day Hafsa put Noor to bed for a nap and left the house to get the finished product of the beautiful clothes she had imagined and quite nicely portrayed to the local tailor.
Hafsa,adorned in a black cloak,set off for the tailors.

Having paid for the dresses,she picked the big plastic bag filled to the rim with clothes and began her journey home,she had not gone more than ten paces when she heard shouting behind her.Her conscious told her to hurry back home but her curiosity provoked her to turn back to see what the ruckus was about.

Curiosity won,like it always does,and Hafsa turned around....

(THE NAME 'NOOR' ACTUALLY MEANS 'LIGHT' HENCE THE TITLE)